In this video, I show you how I achieve one of my favourite protective styles. This faux milkmaid braid style is perfect for people like me who l o v e the milkmaid braid "look" but don't KNOW or WANT to cornrow :)

What I love most about this look is that it's super cute and easy to do. Too, after I rock this updo for 2-3 days I then unravel my braids and wear a simple yet defined braid out for a couple more days!!

So I go from protective style (milkmaid braids) to low manipulation style (braid out) without the need of combs, direct heat, excessive manipulation etc. It really gives my hair a break. It's a win/win for me!

I love jazzing up this style with a few gold hair accessories. I get them from the Beauty Supply Store for $1-2. I don't know what it is, but there's just something about GOLD bobby pins that I just love! It really enhances your styles in such a simple way! Love it.

Anyways, check out the video below on how I achieve this look :)


Thanks for watching!

Well, let me start off by saying that during my pregnancies, for both my son and daughter, I relaxed my hair - yup! that's right. My doctor gave me the "okay" to go ahead and perform my chemical services as usual. I relaxed every 3 months so a total of 3 times (approximately) during my pregnancies. With each pregnancy I used my usual ORS Olive oil relaxer Lye Normal Strength. I experienced no adverse affects and my kids are healthy and strong!

Just one month after giving birth (recovering from a c-section), I started back with my usual hair routine. I somehow found the strength (Lord knows its a struggle when you have an infant) and maintained my exact same regimen i.e. wash every week, deep condition with protein first then moisture, moisturize daily etc. My hair thrived and still is!

Shedding
Where shedding is concerned, I haven't experienced the excessive postpartum shedding that we all HATE and DREAD!! After having my son, when he was approximately 9-10months old, I began to shed terribly. I believe it was stress and diet related due to me going back to school, work etc. My diet and nutrition took a huge hit as I was constantly on the go and had zero time for meal prep, vitamins etc. as a new mom. Back then, I restored my hair by being consistent with my regimen and doing a Black Tea Rinse every so often to combat shedding. I know that shedding is a natural process! It's inevitable to escape as hair that has been in the "growing" phase during pregnancy and will now begin to shed due to decreased levels of estrogen in the body.

Nutrition
Now that I am home for the year with my baby girl, I am exclusively breastfeeding so what I consume is crucial in producing milk for her and I think my diet has kept the shedding at bay. I know that vitamins and nutrition are vital for healthy hair growth and preventing hair loss.  So daily, I ensure I get at least 3 servings of lean protein i.e. eggs, fish, diary products, meat etc. per day. I also drink a TON of water (so necessary for milk production) along with fruits and veggies - not to mention I keep up with my daily vitamins.

I'm currently taking Nestle Materna Pre/Postnatal Multivitamins (1x/day), Evlution Omega 3 Fish Oils (2x/day) which help to keep my scalp hydrated and JamesonVitamin C (2x/day). Vitamin C helps my body absorb iron as well as produce collagen which is known to strengthen the hair shaft. I believe that all of these practices combined i.e. hair care, diet, nutrition etc. have played a role in delaying the postpartum shedding and improving the health of my hair.

Overall, my hair has been pretty good to me, I can't complain! My edges are still in tact and no major shedding to report.  Trust me, having an infant and keeping up with a hair regimen is definitely not easy PLUS I'm always tired..LOL.. BUT I try to find the time i.e. deep conditioning overnight or on the go, moisturizing with baby in the cuddle carrier etc. It's all about multitasking and maximizing your free time to maintain good hair care habits.

...and of course, a couple updated hair pictures too! Thanks for watching xoxo!!

S M O O T H❕Nothing like fresh flat ironed hair💕 ▫️ #flatironedhair #relaxedhair #relaxedhairjourney #seduflatiron

A post shared by Sunshyne☀️ (@hairlicious) on Apr 20, 2018 at 6:28am PDT

I recently flat ironed my hair and posted a photo on my Instagram account. I got a ton of DM's regarding the products I used and how was I able to get my hair so smooth and straight! Not to worry, I will share all the details below.

First things first, I don't flat iron often! I flat iron typically 1-2x with every relaxer, which is every 10-12 weeks. I maintain my flat ironed style for approximately 5-7 days. I maintain my straight look by lightly moisturizing the very ends of my hair (no oil as it would weigh it down) and wrapping it every night with a satin scarf.

....now on to the products I use:



1. Small wide tooth comb - I use the small wide tooth comb AFTER I use the big wide tooth comb. This helps to remove any tangles that I may have missed with the big wide tooth comb. This comb also helps to ensure shed hair is removed. I use the tail part of the comb for parting and sectioning my hair.

2. Big wide tooth comb - After I wash, deep condition and air dry my hair, I thoroughly detangle with this seamless wide tooth comb to remove tangles. It works like a charm!

4. Hair Clips - These clips help to section off my hair so that I can focus on one section at a time. I use about 2-3 clips every time I flat iron. It's a must.

5. Tresemme Keratin Smooth Heat Protectant - This right here is the BUSINESS!! This heat protectant not only protects my strands from heat damage but it really smooths out my cuticles allowing them to lay flat after I'm done flat ironing! It doesn’t weigh my hair down AT ALL!! It actually leaves it light and fluffy.  The scent is so light and refreshing - like a fruity/floral scent - making my hair smell so fresh and clean. It has made its mark in my straightening routine and it's not going anywhere!

6. ORS Olive Oil Edge Control - The last step! This edge control is perfect for laying down my edges. I get great hold for hours with no residue or flakes. I love it!

7. Joico Moisture Recovery Treatment Balm - This moisturizing treatment is the PERFECT treatment for bringing out smooth, moisturized yet strong hair for a bomb flat iron. No joke! This deep treatment smooths my hair like no other making the cuticle lay flat. The slip assists in detangling my strands in prep for flat ironing. First I shampoo with a sulfate free shampoo, then I follow up with this treatment for 5-10 minutes in the shower. I rinse and then move on to my leave-in conditioner and heat protectant (pictured above) - that's it. My flat ironed hair is moisturized, strengthened, smoothed and frizz-free as a result of this treatment balm! I can't see my straightening routine without it!!

Oh! You're probably wondering, "Don't you blow dry your hair ?" Well I don't blow dry my hair unless I'm several weeks post relaxer, otherwise I just air dry and then flat iron. The way I look at it is that my hair is already straight, why add more heat to it? Too, by skipping the blow drying step I get way more volume in my hair.


*Not pictured*: My One and Only Argan Oil! I use a small amount of product per section prior to flat ironing for extra smoothness and sheen. Not to mention, it's anti-frizz protection holds up very well. It works perfectly every time!


There you have it! What products/tools are essential in your straightening routine?